Oh Say, Can You See?

What’s your excuse for missing the rockets’ red glare? You have two chances. You can see big-time Fourth of July fireworks on that day or, to jump the gun just a bit, on the day before. On July 3, Coors sponsors an evening program next to the Trinity River bottoms that includes music, refreshments and an Air Force jet show all culminating at dark (about 9:20 p.m.) in a splendid half-hour fireworks show. The watch site is the west levee of the Trinity at Commerce and Industrial, and activities begin about 7 p.m. If you really want a great view of the fireworks, look into reservations at the Hyatt Regency and request a room with a westward view. When the hotel’s not full, it sometimes offers fireworks-watching special rates. (Hyatt Regency Dallas, 651-1234.)

The most famous fireworks show in town, which gets more impressive each year, happens at the Cotton Bowl at Fair Park. It kicks off at 8 p.m. with gymnasts and a pop band. Parachutists float into the stadium as it gets dark, initiating a solid 30 minutes of spectacular fireworks. Admission to the Cotton Bowl is $2 for adults, $1 for children. But the fairgrounds themselves afford a gasp-inducing view gratis. In fact, the fireworks are visible from as far away as LBJ Freeway.